The word in Greek for diligence is spoude or spoudazo. It is also translated as zeal, earnestness, eager, and haste (Rom. 12:8, 11; 2 Cor. 7:11-12; 8:7-8, 16; Heb. 4:11; 6:11; 2 Pet. 1:5, 10; 3:14; Gal. 2:10; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:9, 21; Titus 3:12; Jude 3; 1 Thes. 2:17; Eph. 4:3; 2 Pet. 1:15; Mark 6:25; Luke 1:39). Romans 12:11 puts the words diligence (zeal) and slothful together. It says, "Do not be slothful in zeal." In other words, to be slothful is to not be diligent. In spiritual work one person should count for ten or even a hundred. If God's servants are lazy, no work can be done. If we are slothful, and ten of us are needed to do the work of one man, how can we meet the need of the work? Brothers and sisters, we have to acquire a diligent character. Whether or not our work is actually overwhelming is a secondary issue. The primary issue is whether or not we have a diligent character. We should be those who are desperate to seek for work before the Lord. Of course, this does not mean that we should pretend to be busy. It is useless to pretend. We should be diligent, and this means that we should not be afraid of responsibility, that we should serve the Lord with zeal, and that we should be burning in spirit. We have to find out what we can do in God's service. This may not be manifested in outward activities, but it should be manifested in our character and disposition. If we are lazy by nature, it will be useless even if we are busy twelve hours a day for days, because eventually we will revert to our same old habits. We must have a character that is diligent and conscientious before we can become useful to the Lord. Some people can force themselves to work for two hours, but in essence they are still lazy persons; they are still very much afraid of responsibility. They pray day and night for their responsibilities to be reduced or eliminated altogether, and they yearn for the day when they will have no responsibilities at all. This is not the way our Lord works. He came to the world to seek out men, to take on responsibilities. He said that He came "to seek and to save that which is lost." He did not come just to make contacts with men; He came to seek them out. We must have this kind of character before we can go on with the Lord.

Second Peter 1:5-7 says, "Adding all diligence, supply bountifully in your faith virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, endurance; and in endurance, godliness; and in godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love." This is diligence. Peter used the phrase and in six times. This shows that a diligent man always adds to what he has; he is not content with what he has. We should cultivate this character. We should always add to what we have and never stop. There must always be the "adding...and in." We must push ourselves all the time. This is the only way to see results. If we are idle and lazy by nature, we will not get anywhere. Some people do not sense any responsibility in God's work; they do not feel any burden on their shoulders. They have never thought of improving the work or expanding their work. They have never thought of gaining more men for the Lord or spreading the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. They can tolerate everything. How can God use such men? If they do not see a single soul saved today, they accept it as a matter of course. If they do not see a soul saved tomorrow, they are not alarmed either. How can such ones work for God? How can the Lord's purpose be attained through workmen of this sort? God needs workers who will not give up, who always seek to add to what they have. Only such men can participate in the Lord's work. Read the words of 2 Peter 1:5-8 again: "Adding all diligence, supply bountifully in your faith virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, endurance; and in endurance, godliness; and in godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love. For these things, existing in you and abounding, constitute you neither idle nor unfruitful unto the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Peter said that we should be more diligent. How can we be diligent? We have to add to what we have. This is the way to be delivered from idleness. In other words, slothfulness can only be removed by diligence. How do we become diligent? We become diligent by always adding to what we have. We should always feel that we do not have enough, that we will not settle for what we have, and that we will not stop until we abound and are no longer idle or unfruitful unto the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, we have to counter our laziness with "adding...and in." We should pay attention to Peter's word. If we only preach the doctrine of diligence, we only have to exhort others to be diligent, and we only need to say it once. But Peter repeated the pattern in verses 5 through 7. He was showing us that one can only be diligent when he adds to what he has again and again until he has these things in abundance. This is the only way to not be idle or unfruitful. Brothers and sisters, we need to pray for God to change our character. We do not want to be slothful. We want to be those who are happy and willing to work and who constantly seek for an opportunity to serve the Lord.